Before starting planting work, it is advisable to take care of the safety of the soil in order to reduce the risk of plant infection. Fungal spores and bacteria can enter the soil at any time and remain there for years. It is advisable to carry out disinfection with Trichoderma immediately before planting in spring or autumn. The biological product, if used according to the rules, improves the quality of the soil and makes it safe for plants. Trichoderma is part of Trichodermin, Glyokladin, Trichocin, Trichoplant.
Suitable processing times
Trichodermin and its analogues contain spores of a beneficial fungus - Trichoderma, which, under certain conditions, are activated and begin to multiply. Their waste products have a detrimental effect on pathogenic fungi and harmful bacteria found in the soil. To enter the active state, Trichoderma requires a warm and humid environment.
The fungus begins to multiply at a temperature of +14 °C. If you apply the drug to cold soil, it simply will not work. Subsequently, the temperature may drop to +6 °C. It is important that the soil is warm at the start. If they want to start planting faster, gardeners cover the ground with black film. In this case, the soil warms up faster.
Autumn treatment is carried out 2-3 weeks before the temperature drops to +15°.This time is enough for the fungus to suppress pathogenic microflora in the soil. As it develops, the beneficial fungus begins to produce substances that are natural antibiotics that destroy the cell walls of phytopathogens.
Application rates, breeding rules
If the plants previously grown on the site did not suffer from powdery mildew, Alternaria, rot, or late blight, the treatment will be of a preventive nature. In this case, use a dosage of 50 ml of the drug per 10 liters of water. To fully protect plantings, the concentration of Trichoderma in the soil should be higher - 150 ml per 10 liters of water. The resulting solution is enough to treat 1 acre of soil.
The water must be warm. If Trichoderma powder or tablets are used for dilution, the drug is first diluted in a small amount of liquid and then brought to the required volume (20 g per 10 liters of water). The solution can be applied directly into the hole before planting seedlings (consumption per plant - 200 ml of diluted trichoderma).
Selection for crops grown
Since preparations based on Trichoderma contain different strains of the fungus (and some also contain its metabolic products), it is necessary to experimentally select which plants to apply the biological preparation to and in what dose. For example, experiments by scientists have shown that the same type of fungus can suppress the growth of some crops (by releasing phytopathogens into the soil) and stimulate the growth of others.
It is better to purchase several preparations (as fresh as possible) and use them on your site, observing the results.If the soil has a poor composition and not enough moisture is added, the phytopathogenic effect of Trichoderma increases. Each strain of fungus produces its own toxins.
When using preparations based on Trichoderma, you need to take into account that you have to deal with living microorganisms and create the most favorable conditions for their reproduction. The properties of the beneficial mushroom are also used when processing seeds and preparing compost. In trichoderma-treated soil, plant roots better absorb nutrients, which has a positive effect on productivity.
